Genesis 24:12 English Standard Version (ESV) And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham.

Our second expression of love is in Genesis 24 were the word love and is attached to an act by Eliezer of Damascus for his master Abraham. Once again we see that someone is supplying the need of another, in this case service. Eliezer prays for success in service that his master might feel the love that he has for Abraham.

This is a complex expression of love which can take on many forms. At one time Eliezer was the object of affection by Abraham who prayed to God for a son because this servant would have been the recipient of Abraham’s blessing without an heir. The relationship between Abraham and Eliezer was built around faithful service and mutual respect.

The Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon introduces a new word here in the emotions of relationship and that is zeal. 

Galatians 4:18a King James Version (KJV) But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing,

Easton’s Bible Dictionary makes this assertion; an earnest temper; may be enlightened, or ignorant and misdirected.

The world is often zealously affected as an expression of love in service but that does not mean it is right or righteous. It only reflects the servants understanding of his master’s orders. Who that master is will determine if those acts are righteous.

John 8:44 English Standard Version (ESV) You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

As I mentioned earlier, expressions of love in service to others can be very complicated.

Genesis 27:4 English Standard Version (ESV) and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.”

The first use of the love is ahab (pronounced a-hav) meaning human appetite for objects such as food. If I did not know the bible and someone had said to me that God is love, then my expectation for the use of the word love would have been much earlier than chapter 27.

Perhaps this is because the expression of love is non-verbal. Actions precede speech. Because we do not always understand actions in context, a deeper understanding is required to translate actions into words. Saying I love you without the context of action is meaningless. The speaker cannot convey with understanding the concept of meaning without action. It then becomes defined by the hearer in terms of their understanding. So how do we understand love?

This first use example is only one expression of love but is a prime example of human conditioning. Our appetites are satisfied and we are pleased by the act. The act satisfies an appetite and how does one experience appetite? A hunger precedes appetite in some form. Food is the most simple and basic experience because we hungered from birth with no understanding of the concept.

The mother knows what the baby needs and her body responds by nature to nurture. It is a time tested example of meeting needs because she can and is willing. Because this is only the first expression of love the baby responds to the act with satisfaction. The baby’s hunger is satisfied.

As we grow and our world becomes more complex this expression of satisfying the human appetite become more complex. The expression of love becomes more complex with changes in appetites but the basic principle still exists. Someone needs to satisfy the hunger in order to express some variant of love. If someone else is not willing to satisfy those hungers we will seek to satisfy them on our own.